Time
by 73stargazer
Summary: Follow up story to "Apples". Following a devastating attack on the Enterprise, Picard reflects on how he'd like to spend his time.
ime

Synopsis:

Follow up story to "Apples". Following a devastating attack on the _Enterprise_ , Picard reflects on how he'd like to spend his time.

Rating: T

Lips set in a line, fists clenched, Picard storms into Sickbay, barrelling toward the emergency ward. The emergency ward is buzzing with activity, every bed occupied, doctors and nurses zipping between patients. But, a quick scan indicates Picard's wife, the Chief Medical Officer, is not in the ward. He spots his ship counselor at the head of one of the biobeds, her arm around his nine year-old daughter, Lucie, standing beside the bed. Picard rushes over to the biobed, where he finds his other nine year-old twin daughter, Manon, lying limply beneath a blue blanket on the bed, Alyssa Ogawa running a dermal regenerator over massive burns across the girl's face.

"What happened? Where's Beverly?" demands Picard, appraising his daughter's terrible condition as she lies motionless, but conscious, in the biobed.

Turning around, Troi frowns sympathetically. "A piece of bulkhead collapsed and pinned her. Manon was trying to put out the fire in the cabin. Lucie got the fire out and was trying to get the piece of bulkhead off Manon's arm. When we were assessing damage and went into your cabin we got Manon and brought her to Sickbay."

"Papa!" cries Manon, extending her right arm, cleared of the burns, toward Jean-Luc.

"It's alright, my love," Jean-Luc soothes, reaching for Manon's hand. He looks to the nurse, working furiously to heal the burns covering Manon's face and neck. "Where the hell is Beverly?"

"She's in surgery, sir. Ensign Turville," replies Alyssa sombrely, running the dermal regenerator over Manon's neck.

Sobering, Picard nods. "Of course."

"When we brought Manon in she saw the girls," offers Deanna comfortingly. "She was knitting Manon's arm when they brought Ensign Turville in and she had to take him to the operating room."

Bobbing his head, Picard attempts to calm himself, recognizing where his wife's professional obligations lie. The same obligations had prevented him from realizing that when the _Enterprise_ had suffered a massive attack, his nine year-old daughter had been injured. Innocently injured in their home, trying to do her schoolwork, on an ordinary day. He hadn't been informed until long after the confrontation had ceased and they were in safe territory. When he had heard, Picard had all but ran to Sickbay to see for himself that his daughter was in one piece.

"The doctors have their hands full, sir. I'm just helping the best I can," explains Alyssa impishly. "But, Manon is fine. Just a broken arm and burns. Nothing we can't fix."

Lucie cuddles up to Jean-Luc, wrapping her little arms around his chest. "It was awful, Papa."

One hand holding Manon's hand, Jean-Luc ruffles Lucie's strawberry blonde hair with the other, dropping a kiss to her crown. "I know, my loves. I'm sorry. It's all over. You're fine."

"Mama!" exclaims Manon, her face illuminating as Beverly walks up behind Picard, her expression forlorn, hands shoved in the pockets of her lab coat.

Jean-Luc releases his hold on both girls and turns to Beverly. At the weary, resigned look on her face, Jean-Luc's face falls. "Ensign Turville?"

Shaking her head, Beverly bites down on her lip. "There was nothing we could do."

Nodding, Picard takes a step forward, putting his hands on her shoulders. "You'll get me his next of kin?"

Bobbing her head, Beverly summons her professional detachment. "Yes. He had a mother on Luna."

"Mama, we want to go home," whines Lucie, stepping over to Beverly as Doctor Selar hands Beverly a PADD.

Smiling gratefully to Selar, Beverly accepts the PADD, quickly glossing over it. "Uh…

"The repairs on our deck should be underway," offers Picard as Beverly pads over to the biobed to assess Manon.

"How you feeing, sweetheart?" asks Beverly, taking Manon's right hand and discarding the PADD on the bed.

"Better," answers Manon cheerfully as Alyssa finishes the dermal regeneration on Manon's ear.

"We're all done here," pronounces Alyssa brightly, removing the last evidence of the fire's damage to Manon's skin. "Arm is knit. Burns healed. Almost as good as new."

Glancing at the sensors above the biobed, Beverly smiles in satisfaction. "Looks good. Thank you, Alyssa."

"Thank you," echoes Manon, sitting up to embrace her mother.

"Oh, come here, honey." Beverly perches on the biobed and draws Manon into her arms. "You're okay now, sweetie."

"It was scary, Mama," confesses Manon, burying her head in Beverly's chest.

"It was!" agrees Lucie, reaching for Jean-Luc. "Papa, the whole place shook. Everything was crashing and breaking. And then the fire started, and Manon thought she could put it out with the fire extinguisher, but she got hurt when the big thingie fell on her. It was scary!"

Enveloping his daughter in his arms, Jean-Luc drops a kiss to her temple. "I know, cherie. It's all over. You're both fine."

Beverly drops a kiss to Manon's hair and stands off of the biobed, turning to her friend. "Deanna, can you take the girls to our cabin and keep an eye on Manon? She should be fine."

"Of course," agrees Deanna easily.

Manon glances anxiously to Beverly grasping for her hand. "What about you and Papa?"

Laying a hand on her daughter's cheek, Beverly smiles remorsefully. "I'm sorry, baby. You see these injured crew here? Some of them are much worse off than you, and they need their doctor."

Manon glances around the emergency ward, where the beds are occupied and the medical staff are tending to the injured crew.

"Come on, Little Cadets. Go with Counselor Troi," orders Picard, relinquishing his hold on Lucie.

"Thank you, Deanna," smiles Beverly appreciatively as Deanna guides Manon off of the biobed and leads the girls out of the ward.

Picard steps up to Beverly, hands on his hips, face tight. "Dammit."

Frowning, Beverly bobs her head, hands crossed over her chest. "Yeah. All these injured crew. Losing Turville. It's dreadful."

"I don't like seeing my daughter on your biobed, either," adds Picard pointedly.

Letting out a long breath, Beverly nods. "I know. But, Manon was fine. Just minor injuries. She'll be fine."

"She shouldn't have been hurt at all," argues Picard, reddening. "Dammit, Beverly. My daughter was doing her schoolwork and she was an innocent casualty of war."

Almost smiling, Beverly puts a hand on Jean-Luc's shoulder. "Jean-Luc, you've been a star ship captain for decades. You recognize these risks. You've seen it numerous times. I don't understand your surprise."

Grimacing, Picard shakes his head. "I know. There shouldn't have been the risk in the first place. I am a bloody fool."

Bewildered, Beverly looks at him in confusion. "What do you mean, dear?"

"I shouldn't have placed the children, or you, in harm's way," confesses Picard solemnly. "Beverly, I…I don't know what I'm thinking. I…I can't lose you or our girls."

Stunned, Beverly's lips part. Leaning in close, Beverly rubs his shoulder. "Honey, you act like this was your sole decision. I assumed this risk. I chose this role for myself. I lost Jack. I raised Wesley on my own. I was acutely aware of the dangers of life aboard a star ship. But, we decided to have children. And when you were given this new Sovereign class _Enterprise_ and our missions became increasingly dangerous, we decided to serve here and have our family aboard." Jean-Luc had so desperately wanted children, and Beverly had wanted to give him a family. When they were on the Galaxy -class _Enterprise_ , they had been comfortable. The twins were in school, they socialized with other children, and there was generally peace and stability. However, when Picard took command of the newly commissioned _Enterprise_ , the new ship was not one designed for long explorations. The vessel was sleek, modern, and powerful. This vessel was the Federation's flagship in an ever increasingly hostile and seemingly endless war, and it was on the frontlines. Beverly had been offered a position as head of Starfleet Medical, a role that would allow her to move to Earth with the twins. Jean-Luc and Beverly had discussed it and decided they wanted to serve together on the _Enterprise_ and keep their family intact. Jean-Luc dreaded the idea of being apart from Beverly and the girls, having spent so long pining for a relationship with her and for a family of his own. Having cared for Wesley on her own while Jack was on the _Stargazer_ , Beverly didn't want that situation for her, Jean-Luc and the twins. She had wanted the girls to know their father, and she had wanted to know her husband.

Considering his wife's words, Picard huffs, turmoil plaguing his features. "Beverly, what are we doing? The girls don't have any playmates, any teachers. Their education comes from a computer, books and the holodeck. They should be with children their own age, attending school, playing games…not getting hurt because my ship was attacked."

Chest against his, Beverly rubs his shoulder soothingly, looking into his eyes. "It was an unfortunate accident, dear. You're upset."

Shaking his head, Jean-Luc puts his hands on her waist. "No. There's a reason this ship isn't designed for families. Perhaps my family shouldn't be living here."

Eyes wide, Beverly grazes his cheek. "What do you want to do, Jean-Luc? You want me to transfer to Medical? Live on Earth, put the girls in school, while you're half way across the galaxy? I had that, Jean-Luc. I had that with Jack, and it was awful. You know that. You must remember. Jack and I never saw each other. I won't have that for us. I won't have that for the girls."

Grimacing, Jean-Luc's hazel eyes are conflicted.

Running her thumb along his cheek, Beverly sighs. "Honey, you're just shaken by what's happened tonight. Look, go back to your post and focus on repairing the damage. I have patients to tend to. We can discuss this later."

Nodding, the haunted look doesn't escape Jean-Luc's eyes.

PAGE BREAK

Perched on the edge of his bed, Jean-Luc discards his robe onto the floor, bone tired. He glances up at the sound of Beverly entering the bedroom, clad in her terrycloth bathrobe. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," waves Beverly assuringly, picking Jean-Luc's robe off of the ground. "Lucie was just fussing. The girls are just a little shaken. Manon is fine." She shimmies out of her robe and lays both hers and Jean-Luc's atop the dresser.

Jean-Luc crawls between the bed sheets, watching Beverly slip into bed next to him. "It's understandable." He folds the sheets up over them, drawing Beverly to his side.

Curling into his side, Beverly lays her head against her pillow, resting her hand on Jean-Luc's bare chest. "What a long, horrid day."

"Beverly…." Jean-Luc wraps his arm around her waist, pulling her close. "I'm done."

Exhaling, Beverly closes her eyes, exhaustion seeping in. "What do you mean, dear?"

"We're getting a tow to McKinley for repairs. When we arrive, I'm tendering my resignation," murmurs Jean-Luc earnestly.

"Jean-Luc," gasps Beverly, opening her eyes and lifting up to look at him in the dimly lit room.

"I've done more than enough," argues Picard. "I'm done. I need to quite before it's too late. I need to know that I did right by my children. Beverly, this is not the life our daughters deserve."

Swallowing hard, Beverly nods, her hand stroking his chest. "You're right. If that's what you want, we'll resign." Beverly thinks Jean-Luc is worked up and emotional from the near-death confrontation and having a little perspective might help, but she's loathe to argue with his logic. Jean-Luc Picard has done more than his service, and it's about time he enjoy his family.

"You can transfer to Medical," suggests Jean-Luc, splaying his fingers over her bare hip. "I'll retire, be a stay-at-home father."

Giggling, Beverly laughs for the first time that day, and it's exhausting but liberating. She presses her lips to his neck. "No, I think I'm ready to throw in the towel. Perhaps we could move to La Barre, you could help Marie with the vineyard?"

Laughing lightly, Jean-Luc relaxes, relieved, the tension eases from his body as he kisses Beverly's collarbone. "Oui, cherie. I'm sure we will find something to occupy our time."

"Oh, we'll just have to use our imaginations," Beverly teases, licking a trail of hot, wet kisses along Jean-Luc's jawline.

Capturing her lips, Jean-Luc pauses. "You have no idea how grateful I am to have you and the girls. Our time is finite, and I want to spend the rest of mine making memories with my girls."

Beaming, Beverly punctuates her agreement with a kiss.


End file.
